


Dangerous Toffee

by Goldy



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 05:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/883354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldy/pseuds/Goldy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose is trapped in a toffee factory. The Doctor helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dangerous Toffee

The smell of toffee stung her nose, and Rose whirled on the nearest Torchwood grunt, speaking rapidly, “It’s starting to seep through our suits. Seal off the building. No one’s allowed in or out until we’ve shut this thing down. We can’t take any chances.”

He nodded, beginning to breathe more shallowly, fogging up the inside of his helmet. He was just a kid, Rose thought with a pang. She chanced a glance around the factory, filled with other Torchwood members in heavy-duty poison control suits. Of course, they all stood to lose if the poison was as dangerous as they feared.

“Tyler,” said the kid, voice shaking, “there’s, um… I have a message for you.”

She turned back to him. “What is it?”

He held out a crumpled piece of paper between shaking fingers, messy writing scrawled over the front and back. Rose snatched the paper from his hands and clumsily tried to straighten it out with her gloved hands.

It was a diagram.

She glanced up. It was a diagram of the bomb. She looked back down at the paper. It was a perfect replica—with arrows showing exactly how to disarm it. Underneath the diagram, there was a hastily scrawled note.

_And, Rose? Whatever you do, DO NOT cross the yellow and blue wires._

I love you,  
D

She felt unexpected tears spring to her eyes and bit down on a smile. It was amazing how three little words still managed to make her feel. Shaking her head, she turned back to the bomb. Then she chuckled. Brilliant—at least half the wires were yellow and blue.

“What is it?” said the Torchwood grunt, “What’s going on?”

“It’s all right,” said Rose. “I can disarm it.” She swallowed. “I think.”

*****

She heard the Doctor’s voice before she saw him.

“Sir, I’ve _told_ you, the building is sealed off and only authorized personal are allowed—”

“I have authorization! I have the _highest_ authorization in point of fact. So high that I could be fired just by telling you—but, oh, all right, if you must….”

“Sir, that’s psychic paper.”

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s blank.”

“How odd. Well, it’s a trade hazard, you know. Can’t just go flashing my identity all over town.”

“Fine, then, sir. What’s the authorization code?”

“Turnips.”

“Sir, I have to insist that you step back.”

“AND I INSIST ON GETTING INTO THAT BUILDING!”

“There’s no need to shout.”

“ _ROSE IS IN THERE_. I AM NOT LEAVING—I… Rose?”

Rose gave a little wave from where she’d exited the building, still secured behind the Torchwood barricades. Cameras from the surrounding crowd flashed in her face, and she winced, momentarily blinded. Her fingers grasped the latch on her helmet and pulled it off before she took in a deep breath of fresh air. Then she broke down into a vicious coughing fit.

There were shocked gasps and awing from the crowd. She shook her head to clear it and looked up just in time to see the Doctor shove the copper out of the way. He hopped over the police line, knocked down the barricade, and made a beeline for Rose.

“SIR—I TOLD YOU THAT IT’S OFF LIMITS—”

The Doctor ignored him and Rose waved the copper away. Panting, the Doctor reached her side. His eyes searched her up and down, and he reached into his pocket for the sonic screwdriver. She blinked when the sonic screwdriver began flashing in her face.

“The bomb?” asked the Doctor tersely.

“I disarmed it,” said Rose. “Thanks to you.”

His lips tightened into a smile, and he slowly lowered the sonic screwdriver, beginning to relax. He reached out and skimmed his fingers along her cheek with his free hand, eyes still worried.

“They wouldn’t let me in.”

“I know,” said Rose. “Sorry about that.” She hesitated, but then said, “I was the one who gave the order to seal off the building.”

He swallowed. “I’m the one who refuses to work for Torchwood.”

Rose smiled sadly and then pulled off her gloves before reaching up to take his hand. She grasped his fingers and they spent a few silent moments gazing at each other.

They heard sirens off in the distance, and Rose’s grip on the Doctor’s hand tightened. “You really shouldn’t be here. We’re gonna have to go back to Torchwood and get checked out. We don't know what was mixed in with the toffee. Could be anything. I might be gone for a few days.”

The Doctor nodded absently. “I figured as much.”

Then he bent down and kissed her.

Rose was too stunned to react at first, but then she relaxed and leaned into the kiss. Wait, hold on… he couldn’t just—

“OI!” she shouted, pushing him away. “Are you _mad_? I’ve been swallowing that poison for the last hour. You'll get infected!”

“Yup!” said the Doctor cheerily. He squeezed her hand. “I reckon we’ll both need to be checked out by Torchwood. Possibly even face a quarantine.”

He grinned proudly at her like he thought he was brilliant. Rose began to grin back before stopping herself.

“Doctor, we don’t know what was in that. You could get sick.”

“Ooh, toffee with just a hint of neutron based activators? It should wear off soon. Besides, even if it doesn’t…” He looked down at their joined hands and shrugged.

“Right,” Rose said softly. She knew she should be angrier with him. But she didn’t exactly like the idea of being separated from him either, even if it was only for a few days. “Doctor?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you, too.”

He grinned and then bent his head down near hers. “Since I’m all ready infected, there’s no reason I can’t do this,” he said. And kissed her again.


End file.
